Spoke and tire tightener



(No Model.)

J. M. HAWLEY.

SPOKE AND TIRE TIGHTENER.

No. 525,981. Patented Sept. 11, 1894.

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JAMES M. HAWLEIY,

OF ODIN, ILLINOIS.

SPOKE AND TIRE TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,981, datedSeptember 11, 1894.

Application filed April 23, 1894. Serial No. 508,676. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. HAWLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Odin, in the county of Marion and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spoke and TireTighteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devicesfor tightening the tire and spokes of a wheel, and it has for its objectamong others to provide a simple and cheap contrivance composed of fewparts and those readily assembled or separated when desired, easilyapplied in position, not requiring skilled labor to operate and notliable to be broken in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will hereinafter appearand the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by theappended claims.

The invention in the present instance resides in the peculiarcombinations, and the construction, arrangement and adaptation of parts,all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings and thenparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure l is a side elevation ofmyimprovement in position for tightening the felly and spokes. Fig. 2 isan edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation with thehub and felly in section and the ofiset portion of the device removed,showing the application of the device for adjusting the dish of a wheel.Fig. 4 shows the application of a part of the device for use inspreading the adjacent ends of two parts of the folly for the in sertionof a wedge. Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring now to the details of the drawin gs by letter, A designatestwo parallel pieces of suitable material and length held at the properdistance apart and between these pieces A near their lower ends is theplate B which may be secured thereto and therebetween in any suitablemanner. This piece is further secured between the shorterpiecesO andprojects beyond both sets of pieces as seen best in Fig. 1, its upperface being tapered or inclined from a horizontal and the portionprojecting at one end is cut off at its upper side to bring its upperface on a lower plane than that of the inclined face and this portion ofless height is formed with an upwardly-extending lug Z) extending ashort distance above the upper face of said portion B as seen in Figs. 1and 3 and over this lug and portion is designed to be engaged the loopor bightd of the wire retainer D the legs of which are designed tostraddle and embrace the lateral portion B while the ends of the legsare turned inward horizontally as seen at d in Fig. 3 to engage withinand beneath the upper portion of the metal band E of the hub E to holdthe device downupon the hub. The plate B, between the piecesA and C isbeveled as seen at b to allow it to enter between two spokes inproximity to the hub. The pieces A and O extend for a considerabledistance above the beveled upper face of the plateB and between thesepieces is removably fitted the step-piece F the lower face of which ishorizontal while upon its upper side it is provided with the offsets,steps or shoulders f as shown most clearly in Fig. 1.

G is a removable wedge-piece designed for use for some purposes, while His a thinner wedge designed for use for other purposes as will soon bemade clear. The upper ends of the pieces A should by preference be heldagainst separation in some suitable manner, as by the rod or pin A, asseen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

With. the parts constructed and arranged substantially as above setforth the operation of the device in some of its uses is as follows: Asseen in Fig. 1, the device is placed upon the hub and the retainer Dplaced in position over the lateral portion of the plate B and its endsengaged under the band of the hub. lhe wedge G is placed in positionupon the inclined face of the plate B and the steppiece F is placed uponthe wedge and moved to the right or left as may be necessary to bringthe proper step or offset or shoulder against the inner face of thefelly of the wheel. The wedge is then driven endwise until the felly isforced outward and raised a suflicient distance from the shoulder at theouter end of the spoke or spokes upon opposite sides of the plate 13.This tightens the tire and then upon each spoke around the tenon thereofis placed a washer I, after which the wedge is withdrawn and the washerspreventing the return of theparts to their former position the spokesand tire must of ne' cessity be tightened. The device is adapted towheels of different diameters, the steppiece being moved to the right orleft in accordance with the diameter of the wheel.

In Fig. 3 I have shown how the device is applied to adjust the dish of awheel. For this purpose the step-piece is removed and the pieces A and Cwith the plate B placed in position as shown. Then the wedge II, or thewedge G if necessary is inserted between the spoke J and the piecesA,bearing'against the edge of the felly and the wedge is driven in untilthe required amount of dish is taken out; then insert wedges, preferablymetal, between the tenon of the spoke and the mor' tise in the hub; thenremove the wedge and change the device so that the pieces A come on theopposite side of the wheel and repeat the operation until all therequired dish has been taken out of the wheel. In old wheels where thedish is the wrong way it may be readily taken out by placing the deviceupon the proper side of the wheel and proceeding as above set forth.

Fig. 4: shows the application of the steppiece and wedge for separatingthe adjacent ends of two pieces of the felly for the insertion of aWedge.

It is thought that the advantages of the device hereinbefore set forthwill be readily appreciated by those familiar with this class of devicesand that its operation will be readily understood, especially when takenin con nection with the annexed drawings. \Vhen not used for thepurposes above designated it may be used as a lifting jack.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed as new is 1. The combination with the parallel pieces,of the plate held between them with a lateral projection, the wireretainer with inturned ends, the removable step-piece fitted looselybetween the said pieces, and a removable wedge, all substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

2. The combination with the long and short parallel pieces, of the plateheld therebetween with beveled upper face and a lateral extension,havingupwardly-extending lug, the removable retainer adapted to engagethe band.

of a wheel-hub, the step-piece loosely and removably fitted between thetwo sets of parallel pieces, and the removable wedges, all substantiallyas shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aifixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. I-IAWLEY. Witnesses:

EMMA PUsIUs, D. K. IIAWLEY.

